Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1887-06-14

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in one little portion Of her beauty, in tho
curve of an eyelash even, or tho modelling of
a shell like ear, Is Justified TO hold light be-
fore my !cyclincss n
could stand 1t no longer Then and there
| fell ufan my knees before her, and told her
In sad mixture of langunges-for such mo
nients confuse the thoughts-that Iworshiped
her as never woman was worshiped, and that
l would give my immortal soul to marry her
which at that tiino certainly would have
done, and so, indeed, would any other man,
or all the race OF men rolled into one For
the moment she looked little surprised, and
then she began TO laugh aud clap her hands in
glee.
"Oh, so soon, o Hollylp she said. al
wondered how many minutes 1t would take to-
bring Thee to thy knees. | have not seen
man kneel before mo for so many days, and,
believe me, to woman's heart the sight il
sweet; ay, wisdom and length of days take
not from that dear pleasure, which is our
sexs only right.
"Whnt wouldst thoul-what wouldst thoul
Thou dost not know what thou doest. Have
not told thee that am not for thcoi Hove
but ono and it is not thee. All, Holly, for all
thy wisdom and in a way thou art wise
thou art but fool running after folly. Thou
| wouldst look into mine eyes: thou wouldst
kiss met Well, II ii peaseth thee, look" and
she bent herself toward me and fixed her dark
and thrilling orbs upon my own; "ay, and
kiss, too, II thou wilt; for, thanks be given 10
the scheme Of things, kisses leave no marks
except upon the heart. But II thou dost kiss,
tell theo OF q surety wilt thou cat out thy
heart for love Of mo and diet" and she bent
yel farther toward me, till her soft hair
brushed my brow and her fragrant breath
played upon my face and made mo faint and
weak. Then, OF a sudden, oven as stretched
out my arms to clasp, sho Strengthened her
SELF and a quick change camo over her.
Reaching out her hand she held ii over my
head, and il seemed TO me that something
flowed from IL that chilled me back TO COM
mon sense and knowledge OF propriety and
the domestic virtues.
Enough of this wanton play" she said,
with touch of sternness. "Listen, Holly.
Thou art good and honest man, and fain
would spare thee; bnt, OBJ it is so hard for q
woman to be mercisul. have said am not
for thee, therefore let thy thoughts pass by
mo like an idle wind, and the dust Of thy
Imagination sink again into the deplls-well,
Of despair, if thou wilt. Thou didst not
know me, Holly. Hadst thou seen me but
ten hours ago, when my passion seized me-
thou hadst shrunk from me in fear and
trembling. l am a woman of many moods
and, like the water in that vessel, reflect
many things; but they pass, my Holly-they
pass, and are forgotten. Only the water il
the water still, and / still am l, and that
which maketh the water maleth it, and that
which maketh me maketh me, nor can my
quality be altered. Therefore pay no heed
to what seem, seeing that thou canst not
know what am. II thou troublest me again
will veil myself, and thou shalt behold my
face no more"
rose, and sunk on the cushioned couch
beside her, yet quivering with emotion,
though for n moment my mad passion had
left me- as the leaves Of tree culver still,
although the gust be gone that stirred them
! did not dare to tell her that had seen her
in that deep and hellish mood, muttering in
carnations to the fire in the tomb
49," she went on, "now eat some fruit;
believe mo, it IS the only true food for man.
Oh, tell me Of the philosophy of the Hebrew
Messiah, who came after me, and who thou
sayest doth now rule Rome and Greece and
Egypt and the hnrbarinns beyond. 1t must
have been a strange philosophy that IId
taught, for in my day the people would have
nnught of our philosophers. Revel and lust
and drink blood and cold steel, and the shock
of men gathered in the battle-these were the
canons of their creeds."
had recovered myself little by now, and,
feeling bitterly ashamed OF the weakness into
which had been betrayed, did my best to
expound TO her the doctrines Of Christianity,
to which, however, with the single exception
1 I...s
faint attention. her interest being all directed
toward the Man who taught them
"Ahl" she said; al seen new religionl ]
have known so many, and doubtless there
lave been many more since l knew aughi
beyond these caves of Kor. Mankind ask
ever Of the skies to vision out what lies he.
hind them 1t is terror for the end and hui
a subtlnr form of selfishness-this is what
breeds religions. Mark, my Holly, each re.
ligion claims the future for its followers, or,
at tue least, the good thereof. Tho evil is for
those benighted ones who viii have none OF it,
seeing the light the true believers worship, as
the fishes see the stars, but dimly. The TO-
ligions come and tho religions pass, and civili
cations come and pass, and naught cndures
but the world and human nature. All! II
man would but see that hope is from within
| anu UOL lIbiD WlluOul-luuL Ut Hllsl
work out his own salvution lie is there, and
within him Is the breath OF life, md a knowl.
edge of good and evil, as good and evil arc to
| him. Thereon let him build and stand erect,
and not cast himself before the image oil
some unknown God modelled like himself,
but with bigger brain to think evil and
longer arm to do It,"
thought to mysclf-which shows how old
| lie ttIa n,,a 10 fha
recurring quantities Of theological discussion
that her argument sounded very like some
/ have heard in tho Nineteenth century, and
in other places than the caves of Kor, and
with which, by the way, personally disagree,
but did not dare to try and discuss the ques.
ton with her To begin with my mind was
too weary with oil the emotions through
which had passed; and In the second place,
knew that should get tho worst OF it. II
is hard enough to argue with an ordinary
materIalist, who hurls statistics and whole
strata of geological facts Mt your head, whilst
you can only buffet him with deductions and
instincts and the snowflakes Of faith, THAT
are, alas, so apt TO melt in the hot cmbers OF
our troubles How little chance, then, should
have against one whose brain was super.
naturally sharpened, who had 1000 years Of
experience, besides all manner OF knowledge
Of the secrets Of nature at her commando
Feeling that she would be more likely to con.
vert mo than should TO convert her, !
thought it best TO leave the matter alone, and
so sat silent Many time since then have
bitterly regretted that did so, for thereby
lost tho only opportunity ! can remember
having had Of ascertainlng whit Ayesha
really believed.
"Well, my Holly, art thou tired OF me
already, that thou dost sit so silent n sho snid
presently, with little yawn. "Fathlcss
mani And but half an hour since thou wast
upon thy knees-the posture does not suit
thee, Holy-swearlng that thou didst love
me. What shall we do Nay, have it.
will come and sec this youth, tho Lion, as tue
old man Dillali calls him, who came with thee,
and who Is now so sick. Tho fever must have
run its course by now, and II he IS about 10
die will recover him. Fear not, my Holly,
l shall use no magic. Have not told thee
that there is no such thing as magic, though
there is such thing as understanding and
applying tho forces which ars IN nature Go
now, and presently, when have made tue
drug ready, will follow thee"
Accordingly l went, only TO find Job and
Ustane in great stnte OF grief, and declaring
that Leo WINS in tho throes OF denih, and that